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Which car companies are creating new jobs in America?

Since January, automakers have announced investments totaling $9.5 billion in U.S. plants, creating or retaining more than 12,000 jobs. Some of those companies have yet to announce just how many jobs will be created given their investments, with the location of many of those jobs still to be determined. Specifically, the 4,000-job Toyota-Mazda joint venture plant still hasn't announced its location, with numerous states jockeying for it. Hyundai has plans to invest $1 billion but has not announced a jobs number yet. And likewise Ford is investing $1.2 billion in Michigan without specifying a number of jobs. Volvo this week announced plans to add a second line to its factory under construction in South Carolina, spending another $500 million and adding 2,500 jobs to the 2,000 it was already trying to fill. Then Thursday, Daimler announced a $1 billion expansion to its facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to produce EV batteries and electric SUVs, a move that will add 600 jobs to its hiring this year. Above, we've created a handy pie chart showing you which companies have announced new jobs and how many there will be. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit News Source: Reuters Plants/Manufacturing BMW Chrysler Ford GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Mercedes-Benz Toyota Volvo jobs

Mercedes-Maybach GLS prototype caught testing with its big new grille

The new Mercedes-Benz GLS is a massive tech fortress on wheels, so the Maybach GLS is bound to be a massive tech castle. Last we heard from the gigantic Benz SUV was that it was going to be built at Mercedes’ Alabama plant. With a starting price expected to be around $200,000, itÂ’ll probably be the most expensive vehicle produced in the U.S. These spy shots give us an idea of what weÂ’re going to be looking at when the production SUV is finally revealed. Our first hint that this prototype is a Maybach is the grille. It looks suspiciously similar to the grille on the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Concept with all the vertical slats running down the big maw. Minimal camouflage is disguising the exterior for the most part, but we imagine Mercedes is hiding any of the gaudier parts of the car itÂ’d like to save for a big reveal. The exhaust outlets sure do look a bit different than the regular GLS, but the outside is generally the same as what we see today. As for the interior, thatÂ’s where most of the magic is expected to happen. A significantly overhauled look is inevitable, with the focus on even more luxurious materials than the most expensive norm-core GLS. A rear seat that's fit for a king or two is likely, along with Maybach-exclusive tech to boot. For now, we canÂ’t see in the heavily camouflaged and taped-off windows, leaving us to wonder about the luxury within. This Mercedes-Maybach is expected to compete with other massively expensive SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga or a fully decked-out Range Rover.  Everything thatÂ’s optional on the GLS should come as standard here, including the trick E-Active Body Control suspension. Look for a reveal coming in the not-so-distant future, as this prototype doesnÂ’t look terribly far from production to us. Featured Gallery Mercedes-Maybach GLS View 12 Photos Spy Photos Maybach Mercedes-Benz SUV Luxury

Jalopnik and Consumer Reports see who can pull off the best snow drift

The weather throughout much of the United States is pretty awful at the moment with some combination of extremely low temperatures, inches of snow and maybe some ice underneath it all. The folks at Jalopnik and Consumer Reports are making the absolute best out of a difficult situation by heading to CR's snow-covered test track and attempting to make the longest drift in a quartet of very different performance vehicles. Jalopnik brought along a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Wagon, a Subaru WRX STI, a BMW 228i and a 1973 Volkswagen Baja Bug (heck yeah!) for the challenge. Also, the track was perfect for this group, with a mix of packed snow in places and still a few inches of unsullied powder in spots too. Ostensibly the goal was to get the tail to step out through a particular corner, but in reality this was more about having hilarious fun in the snow with fast cars. The result just looks like the best time humanly possible in this weather.